Weihenstephaner Vitus - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

500 mL bottle from the LCBO; best before Oct. 19 2013. It has been a while since my last weizenbock, but with winter in full swing, now is as good a time as any for another - especially a weizenbock from what is probably my favourite wheat beer brewer.

Pours a cloudy, golden honey-yellow colour, topped at first with over two fingers of pillowy, puffy white head that recedes over the next few minutes. It leaves behind a dense, foamy 1 cm cap and some sticky lacing on the sides. Highly effervescent. The aroma is positively incredible, with plenty of sweet wheat malts, banana bread and bubble gum, with hints of clove, coriander and vanilla. Complex and enticing - what more can you ask for from a sniff?

To put it bluntly, this tastes like their hefe on steroids - and since I'm a big fan of their hefe, that is A-OK in my books. Atop the backbone of sweet, bready wheat malts I can detect plenty of banana and bubble gum, as well as citrus, pear, clove and pepper notes. The finish is yeasty and spicy, with a long, lingering aftertaste along the same vein. Medium-bodied, with some chewiness - it sort of leaves a coating behind on the palate after each sip, and has a smooth and silky feel in the mouth, with a slight prickle from the carbonation. The alcohol is nearly completely undetectable in the flavour, making this the most drinkable weizenbock I've ever had.

Final Grade: 4.55, an impressive A. Vitus is easily one of this brewery's finest creations, and probably one of the best weizenbocks available anywhere. As much as I love Aventinus, I've got to admit - I kind of like this stuff a bit more. This brew is definitely a bit lighter (in terms of both appearance and taste) and more 'hefe-like', which may or may not be a big part of why I like it. But rather than argue that the oldest brewery in the world isn't following style guidelines, I would rather lie back, sip this slowly, and contemplate how said brewery can make such consistently incredible beer. I guess practice does make perfect? This stuff is absolutely worth a try; no fan of German beer, wheat beer, or beer in general should deny themselves the hedonistic pleasure that is Vitus.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 00:10:32 | More by thehyperduck

Riik3

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

06-18-2013 22:04:51 | More by Riik3

Fuzzy1179

Hawaii

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-18-2013 04:48:46 | More by Fuzzy1179

GregoryCoe

New York

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Light in colour, a bit of a light amber, poured into a glass. Two finger width head which collapses into a thin film in 45 seconds and leaves excellent lacing on the glass.
Smell: Bold and very crisp, with a subtle hint of banana.
Taste: Subtle orange, citrus, bananas, make up a well balanced wheat bock. The high alcohol contact really adds to this beverage. It brings out the flavors while adding an acute punch.
Mouthful: Medium body, crisp and welcoming. Has a very tangy feel to it.
Overall: Brilliant beer this - World Class! Its no wonder Weihenstephaner has been around for millions of years.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 02:32:58 | More by GregoryCoe

jmtpi

New York

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-17-2013 04:01:42 | More by jmtpi

adityashekhar

India

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-16-2013 15:17:56 | More by adityashekhar

IndyDad

New York

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-16-2013 02:39:32 | More by IndyDad

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

5/5  rDev +17.4%

06-15-2013 23:11:04 | More by IchLiebeBier

nmatch

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

06-15-2013 19:42:25 | More by nmatch

Jangles

California

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-14-2013 13:45:14 | More by Jangles

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

06-14-2013 03:49:43 | More by Jason1337

ohyayitstrey

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-13-2013 21:27:57 | More by ohyayitstrey

Rob315

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

06-13-2013 19:55:26 | More by Rob315

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16.9 oz. bottle into a Weihenstephaner Vitus chalice.

Vitus pours a dark and cloudy golden straw color. A frothy off-white foam matures gracefully as I pour the bottle, never quite reaching the cusp of the glass.

The nose on this is like an imperial version of their hefeweizen - bold and crisp (at least by 500 year old German brewing standards), with a bouquet of banana, clove, and light fruity esters. No dark fruit in this Weizenbock, though.

Banana sweetness and clove spiciness really dominate the flavor of this beer. A syrupy honey sweetness comes into play first, with the banana and clove coming in next, and then there is a long, slow finish as the beer tries to diminish the sweetness. The finish is a bit drier than the start, but it is still a rather sweet beer.

There is a light and crisp feel to the beer from the carbonation with a little bit of syrupy sweetness on the back end. Overall the mouthfeel is very clean, though. There is no residual sweetness on the lips or tongue after each sip.

I think the regular Hefeweizen is the better beer; it still packs a flavor punch but has a lower ABV and the mouthfeel is a bit superior. Still, it is not surprising that this beer is quite drinkable. I could have a few glasses of this anytime.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 05:24:15 | More by KickInTheChalice

gleemonger

California

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

06-12-2013 17:58:24 | More by gleemonger

bigred89

Maryland

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-12-2013 03:56:33 | More by bigred89

Doomblivion

California

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful pour, my favorite shade of gold. Mouthfeel is delightfully lacking in tartness like most weizenbock's. The taste was better than I'd expected; not too sweet, with a richness that comes out over time (Definitely one to savor). So far I would say this is the most impressive of Weihenstephaner brew's.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 03:16:14 | More by Doomblivion

Ajlvt

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

06-11-2013 05:41:59 | More by Ajlvt

brureview

Massachusetts

4.41/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured in a Weizen glass. I turned the capped bottle upside down several times, then turned it around on a table horizontally a number of times, to mix in the yeast.

In the weizen glass, I poured 2/3 of the beer slowly, then shaking the bottle slightly, I poured the rest in over the top of the glass.

The result: a beautiful 4+ finger head. The color was apricot honey.

There was a strong and luscious apricot, spice and clove aroma from the head. The consistency of the head when tasted is like meringue.

The mouth feel is pleasantly carbonated and finishes well on the back of the tongue.

The taste is intense apricot, clove and spice. Sometimes it is difficult to discern different tastes and aromas because of the intensity and the incredible balance in the beer.

Overall, a brilliant wheat beer- one of the best in the world.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 02:01:55 | More by brureview

xacidx

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

06-10-2013 02:40:57 | More by xacidx

Jeremy_H

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -12%

06-10-2013 01:44:40 | More by Jeremy_H

MacStinson

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%

06-09-2013 05:55:32 | More by MacStinson

KingSlayer

California

4/5  rDev -6.1%

06-09-2013 01:45:17 | More by KingSlayer

bushwack

Alabama

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

06-09-2013 01:43:55 | More by bushwack

Spacebird11

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

06-09-2013 00:28:30 | More by Spacebird11